Obituary: Irvin Doress, 84, of Wenham, Participated in Civil Rights March, Played Piano at Nursing Homes

Obituary from Stanetsky-Hymanson Memorial Chapel

Irvin Doress of Wenham, beloved husband of Marianne, passed away peacefully on Sept. 8, 2014 after a lengthy illness.

Throughout his lifetime, Dr. Doress was dedicated to both of his careers, music and education. He was an excellent professor of sociology and educational psychology at Northeastern University and the University of Missouri. Later in life, he spent many hours entertaining on the piano in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers throughout Massachusetts.

In his earlier years, he was a prolific writer, an avid reader of history, and a member of several dance bands and jazz ensembles in New England. He was most grateful for being active in the civil rights movement in the early 1960s by participating in the march from Montgomery to Selma, Ala. Born in Newark, N.J. on Jan. 25, 1930 to Nathan and Annie (Gadansky) Doress. Irvin was the youngest of four children with three older sisters, twins Sylvia and Alice and Madolyn. He was educated in the Brockton public schools, the University of Mass (Amherst) and Boston University.

In addition to his wife, he leaves behind two daughters, Nancy Myrick and Hannah Doress (Emily Bender) of California and two sons, David Myrick of Hawaii and Ben Doress of Boston. He also is survived by two grandsons, Abraham and Keshava. He is also survived by his sister, Alice Krasner in New Hampshire, his beloved brother-in-law David Tipmore of Alabama and his two stepdaughters, Emily Cummings and her son Jackson of Ipswich and Catherine Brownworth (Lars) and their son Thomas of Maryland. Also surviving Dr. Doress are many nieces and nephews and his former wife, Paula Doress-Worters. He was predeceased by his sisters, Sylvia White and Madolyn Tabakin.

Services were at Stanetsky-Hymanson Memorial Chapel, 10 Vinnin St., Salem on Friday, Sept. 12, 2014 at 10 a.m. Interment was at Iron Rail Cemetery, Wenham.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be donated in his memory to American Civil Liberties Union, 125 Broad St., 18th Floor, New York NY 10004 (aclu.org) or the Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104 (splcenter.org).